Unlikely Brothers in Christ
(November 3, 2025)
What do you think would happen if an American who defected to a Muslim
terrorist group and an American patriot joined the same Kiwanis club? I suspect
the tension would be palpable. Certainly, there would appear to be no middle
ground on which to unify. Yet, when Jesus Christ called Matthew the tax collector
and Simon the Zealot, that is exactly what He did!
In Simon’s eyes Matthew sold his nation out when he started to collect taxes for
the Romans. Plus, if he was like many of the tax collectors of his day, he would
overcharge the people and pocket the difference. He would cheat the people.
Simon was an Israeli patriot. His goal was to throw off the chains of the Romans
and free Israel from their tyranny. It could be that before Jesus called him, he
hated Matthew or people like him.
But Jesus loved Matthew AND Simon! They both needed Jesus’ forgiveness for
their sins against God and THAT is where the ground became level for Simon and
Matthew, at the foot of the cross on which Jesus died.
I’m not sure if their political views ever changed but suffice it to say that their
view of each other changed. Remember the new command Jesus gave His
disciples in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another.” And the love Jesus meant was the
unconditional love that the Father has for His Son and that Jesus had for His self-
focused, prideful, petty disciples.
Is there some other brother or sister in Christ with whom you don’t get along? If
you both go sit at the foot of the cross and look up, you will be too busy mourning
your sin and repenting of it to point a finger at the other person. And if they don’t
go with you, then YOU go. Take the humble position. But if you can contemplate
all your sins against God and still point an accusing finger at your brother or sister,
then beware, you will forfeit His forgiveness of your sins.